The New Contented Little Baby Book

[Expectantmum]

Am just about to read Gina Ford's Contented Little Baby Book and just wondered how many others have read it, tried it and found it worked?

[Jimjams]

I still think sleep etc is down a lot to the individual baby. I've had 3 kiddies now, none GF, and all given broadly the same routine (ie none during the day, but bath, breast/bottle, bed in the evening). Ds1 settled quite well on it, soon went from 9pm to 5am regulalryl, ds2 was a nightmare until he was well past 2, and ds3 is my little angel who at 11 weeks old goes to sleep and 8am and sleeps at least until 6. Different children, different ways.

[sallycinnamon]

I was given the book but never even tried to stick with it! however her idea is that if you give a baby all of its feeds during the day they won't need to wake at night. Which kind of makes sense!! Didn't pay much other attention to it though

[BadgerBadger]

Baby-led is the way our family works best. We've let our DD's settle into their own routines, adjusted ours a little, and it works just fine!

I can't comprehend how a complete stranger could possibly dictate how a baby they don't know needs to be treated, or what their needs may be. I'm all for treating LO's as the individuals they are.

OTOH, I have not read GF (I wouldn't give it space on my bookcases, due to what I have heard and read from others) but it does sound as though there is information and guidance within it which could be useful to a first time parent?

Then again, I'm not sure if I would actively encourage anyone to read something which apparently damns any sliver of motherly instinct and could effectively damage or remove someones confidence in knowing that ultimately they know what is best for their LO.

[shak2k2]

As a first time mum, I tried my hardest to stick to the routine in the book. When one day I sundenly realised that I knew what was best for my little girl and between us we have worked out a routine. I did take some of the advice provided, as there were some good tips! Luckly at three months my daughter now sleeps from 7pm - 5am, which is good enough for me.

[CarrieG]

I found it invaluable - I read it solemnly from cover to cover when pregnant, thought 'No bloody WAY am I doing that!', & it helped me formulate my own ideas through disagreeing strongly with GF's...

Personally I'd get 'The Baby Whisperer' instead - lots of useful information & without the sense of your least favourite auntie stood over you, wagging forefinger & with cat's-bum mouth!

[NannyJo]

Hence the name i used to be a nanny. now a mummy myself. at work i was strisct with the children and i found it worked because they knew where they stood and were happy with that. when i had my ds i was adament i would do the same with him and not go soft. I borrowed the book from a friend and tried Gina's routine and to cut a long story short got my knickers in a real twist with it and gave myself a huge guilt trip repeatedly telling myself i'm a good nanny and a crap mummy. It took me months to stopbeing a nanny to my own son and be his mum.
What i'm trying to say i think is that too rigid routine doesn't always work. I decided that the most important thing ever be it your kids or someone elses is to be RELAXED and ENJOY and the children will follow.